The Queen's Square (story)
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''Hangman's Holiday'' is a collection of short stories, mostly murder mysteries, by
Dorothy L. Sayers Dorothy Leigh Sayers ( ; 13 June 1893 – 17 December 1957) was an English crime novelist, playwright, translator and critic. Born in Oxford, Sayers was brought up in rural East Anglia and educated at Godolphin School in Salisbury and Somerv ...
. This collection, the ninth in the
Lord Peter Wimsey Lord Peter Death Bredon Wimsey (later 17th Duke of Denver) is the fictional protagonist in a series of detective novels and short stories by Dorothy L. Sayers (and their continuation by Jill Paton Walsh). A amateur, dilettante who solves myst ...
series, was first published by Gollancz in
1933 Events January * January 11 – Australian aviator Sir Charles Kingsford Smith makes the first commercial flight between Australia and New Zealand. * January 17 – The United States Congress votes in favour of Philippines independen ...
, and has been reprinted a number of times since, for example the 1995 paperback: ).


Contents

*
Lord Peter Wimsey Lord Peter Death Bredon Wimsey (later 17th Duke of Denver) is the fictional protagonist in a series of detective novels and short stories by Dorothy L. Sayers (and their continuation by Jill Paton Walsh). A amateur, dilettante who solves myst ...
stories: **''"
The Image in the Mirror "The Image in the Mirror" is a short story by Dorothy L. Sayers, featuring Lord Peter Wimsey and published as the first story in ''Hangman's Holiday ''Hangman's Holiday'' is a collection of short stories, mostly murder mysteries, by Dorothy ...
"'' – Wimsey must help a man with ''
situs inversus ''Situs inversus'' (also called ''situs transversus'' or ''oppositus'') is a Congenital disorder, congenital condition in which the major Organ (anatomy), visceral organs are reversed or mirror image, mirrored from their normal positions. The norm ...
'', who believes he is going mad after being haunted by a doppelganger. **''"The Incredible Elopement of Lord Peter Wimsey"'' – A man studying
Basque culture The Basques ( or ; ; ; ) are a Southwestern European ethnic group, characterised by the Basque language, a common culture and shared genetic ancestry to the ancient Vascones and Aquitanians. Basques are indigenous to, and primarily inha ...
enlists Wimsey's help in saving an
expatriate An expatriate (often shortened to expat) is a person who resides outside their native country. The term often refers to a professional, skilled worker, or student from an affluent country. However, it may also refer to retirees, artists and ...
American woman whom the villagers believe is bewitched. **''"The Queen's Square"'' – Wimsey attends a
fancy dress A costume party (American English) or fancy dress party (other varieties of English) is a type of party, common in contemporary Anglo culture, in which many of the guests are dressed in costume, usually depicting a fictional or stock characte ...
ball during the Christmas season, where several people dressed as chess pieces become suspected of killing a female blackmailer. **''"The Necklace of Pearls"'' – Wimsey tries to avoid scandal when a fun-filled Christmas Eve at Sir Septimus Shale's house turns into an uncomfortable affair after a priceless pearl necklace goes missing. *
Montague Egg Montague Egg is a fictional amateur detective, who appears in eleven short stories by Dorothy L. Sayers. Unlike Sayers's better-known creation, Lord Peter Wimsey, Egg does not actively pursue investigations. Usually, he is witness to the discovery ...
stories: **''"The Poisoned Dow '08"'' – Mr. Egg arrives at a client's house to find him dead, and the police in need of evidence about a shipment of bottles Mr. Egg delivered earlier. **''"Sleuths on the Scent"'' – Mr. Egg uses his knowledge of various professions to flush out a murderer hiding in a pub. **''"Murder in the Morning"'' – Mr. Egg finds himself one of those suspected in the murder of a client, and gives evidence at inquest. **''"One Too Many"'' – Mr. Egg's knowledge of the train ticket system helps the police find an absconding banker and his secretary. **''"Murder at Pentecost"'' – While trying to win a bet against an
Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...
student, Mr. Egg discovers the motive and opportunity of a very clever murderer. **''"Maher-Shalal-Hashbaz"'' – After helping an impoverished child sell her cat, Mr. Egg discovers the cat has run away from its new home and in tracing it back discovers the brutal murder of more than fifty cats and an elderly man. *Other stories: **''"The Man Who Knew How"'' – A man becomes obsessed with finding and stopping what he believes is a serial killer. **''"The Fountain Plays"'' – A man being blackmailed tries to figure out how to rid himself of his tormentor, but finds himself at the mercy of a second blackmailer.


References


Further reading

* * Short story collections by Dorothy L. Sayers 1933 short story collections Victor Gollancz Ltd books Lord Peter Wimsey short story collections {{1930s-mystery-story-collection-stub